My thesis sculpture has moved into his new box house. Wheels and display window in place I feel much better in my space now. Not only are things coming together but I feel like the big baby is safe. 

I was recently asked by a colleague to take part in a print trade portfolio this semester. It has been some time since I produced a print so I am pretty excited to get my hands back to the litho stone. One observation I have made is that when it comes to my two dimensional work I think very differently about the 'subject matter' or 'proposal.' That being said there is still that thread that runs deeply through the two in the end. 

I look forward to strengthening that thread and allowing it to develop more and more with every thing it sews.

P.S. Pina is on Netflix, all should enjoy.  

Today is one of my studio days usually since I don't teach Fridays. However, since VA has decided to be so cold, it's not happening! My studio has no heat and my two space heaters can't work that room properly till the upstairs work is done. My neighbors studio shares tall windows with me and until they get closed in I lose all my heat :(

So here I am at the university trying to get some stuff done. Though I must say its still pretty chilly here too.

Here's to coffee, heating, art, snow, and the hope that I can get working in my space soon!

David Page at the Baron & Ellin Gordon Art Gallery

This past Friday night I went to David Page's opening at the ODU Gallery here on campus. Seeing his work in my home town was pretty nice I must say. Being a bit more demanding of the viewer than some works I have seen here in the past i felt refreshed. 

For me this was no ordinary opening either. Friday night I was sitting at the coffee shop down the street when a student asked my coworker and I if we wanted to 'get into the art tonight' because they needed one more volunteer. My coworker said no on the spot but I said to let me know when I got there if they still needed someone. Being curious about the performance aspect of the work how could I just say no? 

Once we arrived at the gallery it seemed I was to be in the work. Some thought I was crazy and others thought it was the best thing ever since I was a teacher and not a student from the sculpture department, like the rest of the volunteers. One of the requirements for the piece was to be a small framed person... all made sense after that as to why I was asked. 

Everyone should go see his work in person if you have the opportunity. For those of you who don't have the benefit of a show near you, do look at his work online. 

http://davidpageartist.com/

In effort to finally move out of the storage unit I was renting I took my thesis sculpture out if its crate. I forgot how big that bad boy was.
When moving back to Virginia from Michigan I was worried about how the materials would fare with all the rain we drive through... Once I got a loom at my piece I felt so relieved. Everything is great! The steel underneath is rusting a bit as it should/ I wanted it to. All of the gut is in tact and doing well. Now that it is in my studio I am remaking the crate so that it can be seen as well as utilizing the storage as a work surface.
I am very happy to have this piece back in my life. Here's hoping that others may enjoy it more as well.

I admit it has been some time since I wrote a good post here on the good old blog. 
Apologies.

After returning home from Germany this summer my days became more than busy with work, play and studio days. Some events did not permit me much internet time while others just left me exhausted. 

To summarize:
On my return I started teaching at Old Dominion University for the fall semester. This term was two introduction to metalsmithing classes and blacksmithing. It was my first time teaching blacksmithing but I really enjoyed the opportunity and look forward to doing it again next fall. 

In October I revisited Cranbrook Academy of Art to take part in the workshop with Christoph Zellweger. I was not only happy to revisit the campus and friends but the workshop was a blast. Christoph is a great artist and person to be around, and definitely makes people think differently about what they are doing. 

Also while at Cranbrook I took a day to hang out with Amy Weiks visiting her studio, garden and home that came with two sweet cats I missed a well. Everyone at Cranbrook and the area surrounding Cranbrook seems to be doing well these days. 

While at Cranbrook I managed to lock down a studio space in VA. A lot of my fall has been spent repairing and preparing the space for work. I share a portion of my space with a local 2D artist, teacher and good friend Heather Bryant. (lithography and painting) As much as I enjoy my private space, at times its just the best thing to have a mind to bounce ideas off of, much less the fact that it just gets lonely! 

So after the fall semester came to an end it was the usual holiday season which equaled almost no studio time for me outside of cleaning and organizing (renovations in the space above me led to a bit of a mess..). Between traveling, wrapping up the semester and preparing for the next term its been non stop. 

Oh, and finally I cannot forget! I am to be part of the traveling show Suspend.ed in Pink this year. Look to my activities for more information.

More to come soon, happy new year :)